How to Remove Leaves and Debris from Your Pool Cover

During the fall, leaves, twigs, and other debris will inevitably fall in or around your pool. Removing those leaves is important to keep the pool clean and the cover working as efficiently as possible.

Pool owners that use a solid cover need to worry about the extra weight and stress leaves debris will put on the cover, in addition to rainwater and puddles.

Pools with mesh safety covers need to remove leaves so autumn rains don’t mix with the leaves as it seeps into your pool water. Think of the leaves and debris like a tea bag; as the rain falls dirty water will enter your pool and can make your water balance procedure in the spring a bit more difficult.

Here are a few tips and guidelines for removing leaves and keeping your pool as clean and safe as possible heading into the winter months:

• Make sure the leaves are as dry as possible
• Use a leaf blower for a quick removal
• Use your pool brush if the leaves are dry
• If the leaves are wet, use your skimmer net and scoop as much as possible
• Invest in a leaf net if you are surrounded by trees

Before Removing, Get the Leaves as Dry as Possible

Removing leaves is much easier when they are dry. Have you ever tried to bag wet leaves before? They are heavy and more of a hassle to handle.

If you have a mesh cover, wait a day or so after a rain to ensure the leaves left on top are as dry as possible. You also want to make sure the cover itself is dry as well. This ensures that no “gross water” enters your pool when you try to remove all the debris.

For solid covers, you may need to pump water off the top to ensure the leaves dry faster. A submersible pump is a great way to remove water from your solid cover quickly and efficiently.

Pool owners with a solid cover should already have a submersible pump. Puddles and rain put tremendous stress on the cover and can cause rips and other damage if not removed, especially before the year’s first freeze.

Use a Leaf Blower

The quickest way to remove leaves and most debris is to use a leaf blower. Most blowers should be powerful enough to blow all of the leaves off the top of your cover.

However, remember that this method is only efficient if the leaves are completely dry. A leaf blower will not work well with wet debris.

Use Your Pool Brush

If you don’t have a leaf blower handy, using your pool brush and the telescopic pole is another easy way to push leaves off of the cover.

Depending on how big your pool is and how long of a pole you have, there shouldn’t be an issue with reaching the entire area of the pool cover.

It is typically easier to push the leaves to the other side rather than pulling them towards you.

Use Your Leaf Skimmer Net

If leaves and debris are still wet and you don’t feel like waiting for everything to dry out, using your leaf net is another great way to get your cover clean. Simply skim the surface of the cover and scoop as much debris as you can.

Use a Leaf Net

If you want a one-time removal solution, then installing a leaf net is your best option. These nets work by setting it on top of your cover so leaves and debris will never even reach the cover itself. After all the leaves have fallen, simply remove the cover and shake off all of the debris!

This is also a great solution for pool owners who don’t necessarily need to close their pool for the winter but still have an issue with falling leaves.

Stay Ahead for Spring Opening

The goal for any pool owner is to make your pool opening as quick and easy as possible. Fall maintenance is just one part of that process. The cleaner you keep your pool cover in the fall, the less dirty your pool water is when it is time to open!